Combined outsole and heel lift



May 16, 1944. J. H. DAVIS COMBINED OUTSOLE AND HEEL LIFT Filed Sept. 28. 1942 V/1 Tea Patented May 16, 1944 UNETED STATES iATENT OFFICE 2,348,713 COMBINED OUTSOLE AND HEEL Liar John H. Davis, Long Beach, Calif.

Application September 28, 1942, Serial No. 459,925

Claims.

My invention relates generally to foot wear, and, more particularly, to a combined outsole and heel lift, and the principal object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive one piece structure which performs the functions of an outsole and heel lift, and which will greatly simplify fabrication or production of shoes, and effect a material saving in manufacturing costs.

A further object of my invention is to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the shoe midsole construction covered by United States Letters Patent Number 2,289,180 issued to me on July '7, 1942, also the Shoe construction disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent filed by me February 7, 1940, Serial Number 317,641.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a combined outsole and heel lift constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the outsole and heel lift with a portion broken away, and in section.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a shoe having applied thereto a combined outsole and heel lift embodying my invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, it designates the outsole having a fiat undersurface and formed integral with the rear portion of said outsole is a body II which is substantially thicker than the outsole, and which provides a heel lift.

The outsole IE1 and heel lift H are preferably formed in a single piece from molded rubber, composition having rubber as its principal ingredient, or from compressed comminuted fibrous material, and thus the complete structure has a certain degree of flexibility and resiliency.

The forward portion of the heel lift H curves gradually downward as indicated by 12 until it meets the upper fiat surface of the forward portion of the outsole l0, thus providing a curved instep supporting portion which corresponds to the under-surface of the instep portion of the foot.

Formed in the lower portion of the heel lift ll, directly above the upper surface of the outsole ID, is a narrow channel l3 which receives. the lower edge of a flexible member E4 that,

covers the outer face of the heel lift.

This cover may be formed from fabric, leather, or other thin flexible material, and the edge that is seated in the groove 13, is cemented therein while the upper edge of said cover overlies and is cemented to the upper surface of the heel lift adjacent its edge as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The forward ends of the channel 13 terminate at the point where the curved upper face I2 joins the upper face of the outsole, and the size of that portion of the heel lift above the channel I3 is slightly less than the size of that portion of the outsole directly below the channel l3, such difference in size being approximately a thirty second or a sixty-fourth of an inch in order to compensate for the thickness of the cover used on the side of the heel lift, and thus, when the cover is secured to the heel lift, the outer face of said cover lies flush with the outer face or edge of the outsole.

In the manufacture of shoes, the combined outsoles and heel lifts with the covers applied to the latter, are lasted in conventional manner to the shoe uppers U with a suitable filler F applied to the upper surface of the combined outsole and heel lift, and with the usual insole I overlying said filler and the lasted edges of the upper. See Fig. 4.

Thus, the combined outsole and heel lift which is produced by a single molding operation is conveniently applied to the shoe upper, and such methods are effective in saving much time, labor and consequent expense in manufacturing costs.

The one piece outsole and heel lift being composed of rubber, rubber composition or compressed fibre, has the desired degree of flexibility combined with resiliency, and thus, provides a very desirable and, at the same time, inexpensive foundation for shoes.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a combined outsole and heel lift which is simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved outsole and heel lift may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a combined outsole and heel lift formed in a single piece from flexible material and comprising an outsole having a continuous flat undersurface, a heel lift formed integral with the upper rear portion of said outsole, there being a channel formed between the rear portion of said outsole and heel lift and the forward ends of which channel terminate at the forward end of said heel lift, with the bottom face of said channel lying in the same plane with the upper surface of that portion of the outsole positioned forwardly of said heel lift.

2. A combined outsole and heel lift as set forth in claim 1, and with a covering member applied to the outer face of said heel lift with the lower edge of said covering member positioned in said channel.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a combined outsole and heel lift formed from a single piece of flexible material, the outsole having a continuous flat under face, the heel lift being positioned on top of the rear portion of said outsole, there being a channel formed between the rear portion of said outsole and heel lift, the side face of which heel lift is slightly inset with respect to the side face of the outsole below said channel and the forward ends of which channel terminate at the forward end of said heel lift, with the bottom face of said channel lying in the same plane with the upper surface of that portion of the outsole positioned forwardly of said heel lift.

4. A combined outsole and heel lift as set forth in claim 3 with a covering member secured to the side face of said heel lift with the lower edge of said covering member positioned in said channel.

5. A combined outsole and heel lift as set forth in claim 3 with a covering member secured to the side face of said heel lift with the lower edge of said covering member positioned in said channel, and with the upper edge of said covering member overlying the upper face of said heel lift adjacent its edge.

JOHN H. DAVIS. 

